Rotary engine.



No. 892,201. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

A. W. WELSH & W. SHEGK.

l ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1901.

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PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

A W WELSH & W SHEGK ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13 1907 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ANDREW W. WELSH AND WALTER SHECK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908 Application filed. June 18, 1907. Serial No. 379,675.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, ANDREW W. WELSH and VVALTER SHEoK, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsyl- I vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference be:

ing had therein to the'acconipanying drawg ing e pliston.

' it these and other objects in view, the

' invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 0

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of-an engine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view'of the engine depicted in Fig. 1. 'Fi'gqflis a top plan view of the strueture depicted in Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of our valvq-showing the same supported upon the casing {01 the engine. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, vartieal, s ectional view of another embodimeiit 'of our rotary engineem loying our'valviin' the co'r'istruction thereof? Referring to theidrawings by numerals, 1 designates the casing, which is carried by base 2. Preferably near the top of the casing 1', there is a primary valve compartment 3, while, preferably, upon the side of the casing 1, there, is formed an auxiliary valve compartment 4. A piston 5 is fixedly secured, any suitable fastening. means, to, preferfil aliorizontal shaft 6. The piston 5 is v 1, and as said a positioned within thecasin shaft 6-is journaled upon the sides of said casing, the piston 5 may be rotated freely within the casing. Theiston 5 1S provided with a cam portion], which cam portion 7 is provided, at 8, with a gradually curved or convexed surface, while upon the opposite side, the piston is rovidod with a straight ed e or surface .9, w ereby movement of the valve 10 W ll bB IHOI'B freely permitted.

This invention relates to an improved ro- The valve 10 is positionedwithin the primary valve compartment 3, and is capable of having a rotary movement therein. The valve 10 comprises a semi-c lindrical shell provided with a hollow bo y and with a ower concaved or rounded face 11, which register with the inner face of the casing 1, when the outer edge or face 12 of the cani portion 7 of the piston is passing the valve: The valve 10 is provided with an upper, en-

larged opening 13, and-with an auxiliary opening or discharge port 14. By reason of the enlarged opening 13, when the valve 10 is entirel within the valve com artmgent 3,

the interior of the hollow bodyyo the valve is in communication with the inlet pert 15, which port 15 communicates with, referably, a curved ipe 16 and port 17 of ti: ing. Gas disc arged into the portion 18 formed between the casing 1 and the piston 7, will be permitted to pass through port 17 pipe 16 and port 15 into the hollow valve 10, w en the primary opening 13 of said valve registers with port 15.

1 A valve 19 1s rotatably'mounted within the auxiliary valve com artment 4, and said valve 19 is provided wit a passage or chanable cai'b'ureter or vaporizer through pipe 21 may also be discharged through port 20 into .nel 20, whereby gas discharged from a suit- .the portion 18 of the casing 1 when the valve 19 has its passage 20 communicating with said pipe 21. The valve 19 is provided with a lower, inwardly curved or concaved istonengaging surface 22, similar to the surface .11 of valve 10. A suitable discharge outlet 23 is formed upon the casing 1, preferably contiguous to the inlet valve 19, whereby after the cam portion 7 of the piston 5 has passed the discharge opening '23, the burned gases will be discharged through said discharge opening 23, An aperture 24 formed, preferably, in a vertical plane upon the outwardly bulged ortion of the casing in which the primary va ve compartment 3 is formed, and threaded into the aperture or opening 24 is an ordinary spark plug 25 of the jumpspark type.

It is desirable to have the-ends 26 of the rotatable valves 10 and 19 normally in enagenient with the piston 5, and, therefore, to accomplish this result, we have extended one of the journals 27 of each valve member beyond the outside of the casing v1, and mounted'upon this journal or stub shaft 27, is, preferably, a coil spring 28. The inner end of the coil spring 28 is seated, at 29, in a .socket formed 1n boss 30 of the casing 1 (Fig.4), and the outer end of the s ring is seated in a socket 31 formed in a co lar 32, which collar is, the journal or stu shaft 27. A locking-nut 33 is threaded upon the outer end of. the journal or stub shaft 27 against the adjusting-collar 32' It will be noted that by rotating the collar 32 in one direction, the tension of the spring may be increased, and by reason of the locking-nut 33, the collar can be prevented from -working loose. The springs 28 will, at all times, exert suflicient pressure upon the valves to hold them in the position shown in Fig. 1', and while the piston may rotate the valves within their compartments, still the tension of the springs is sufii-- cient to rotate the valves to a position for preventing back pressure of gases in the eas- In Fig. 5, we have shown our im roved valve applied to a steam engine. 11 this embodiment, the outwardly-bulged portion of easing 1 in which the valve compartment 3 is formed, is provided with an inlet port or opening 15, which communicates with a valved sup ly pipe 16. It will be obvious that not 0 y steam may be supplied to this compartment, but also (compressed air or li uid. The casing is providedv with a suitagle discharge 0 ening-23, preferably contiguous to the va Ve compartment 3, sothat the full benefit of the pressure of the steam or liquid upon the cam ortion of the rotar piston may be secure before the liquid is exhausted or discharged from the casing. If the piston is in the position shown in Fi l, the compressed charge of gas in the ho low valve 10 will be discharged a ainst.

the cam portion 7 of the piston, an synchronously with the discharge of gas, caused by the lower end 26 of the valve 10 drop ing against face 9, the gas will be ignite by means of the spark plug 25. Synchronous with the ignition of the charge of gas, a new charge 7 is being sup lied to portion 18 of the chamber within t e casing, and as-the piston rotates and the cam portion 7 comes in engagementwith the auxiliary valve 19,

. the same will be swung upon its journals and the passage 20 closed, and as the cam ortion 7 passes this valve 19, the same will all into the position illustrated in Fig. 1L It will be noted, that the passing of the cam portion 7 by the valve 19 will cause the fresh charge of gas to be compressed, and owing to the comparatively curved face 8 of the cam portion, the valve 10 will be gradually rotated and the port 15 placed in communication with the mterior of said hollow valve, whereby the fresh charge will be forced into said valve preparatory to being discharged behind the cam portion of the iston. Owing to the peculiar structure of t e cam portion referably, threaded 'upon' of the piston, as the same passes the valve 19, it will also suck or draw in a new charge of gas, and, therefore, it will be noted that we have provided a simple means for drawing into an engine a charge of gas, compress- .same passes beyond the valve and permits the lower end 26 to swing-into engagement with the straight face 9; the straight face 9 of the piston permitting a more even drop, or freer movement of the valve. Immediately priorto the receiving of a new charge of steam against the piston, the dead steam is discharged through the outlet 23.

What we claim is:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a piston journaled in said casmg, of a valve positioned upon said casing and being capable of rotary' movement, means carried by said piston for moving said valve, a boss formed upon said casing, a stub shaft secured to said valve and journaled in said boss, said stub shaft extending beyond the outer face of said boss, a coil spring positioned upon the extended end of said stub shaft, the inner end of said spring seated within a portion of said boss, an adjusting collar carried by said shaft, theouter end of' said spring seated within said collar, and

means carried by said stub shaft for locking said collar-in an adjusted position upon said stub shaft, said casing rovided with an inlet opening being capab e of communicating with said valve, and said casing provided with a discharge opening.

2. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination with a casing, of a iston mounted within said casing, a rotatab e valve carried by said casing, means carried by said piston and being capable of rotating said valve, said valve provided with a hollow body and with a plurality of openings or ports, one of said openings larger than the other opening, said casing provided with a spark plug contiguous tosaid valve, said spark plug being capable of igniting gases within said valve, means for supplying gases under. pressure to said valve, and said casing provided with a discharge opening.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotatable piston provided with a cam portion mounted within said casing, said casing provided with a valve compartment and withan opening leading from said valve compartment, a spark plug threaded into said opening, said casing provided with a plurality of openings or, ports contiguous to said valve com artment, a single pipe positioned outside said casing and connecting said ports, a semi-cylindrical valve j ournaled in said valve compartment, said valve provided with a hollow body and with a large and a small opening or port, the interior of said valve in communication at all times with the spark plug, means for nor mally preventing the ports upon the casin from connnunicating' with the interior of sai valve, means for supplying a charge of gas to said ports and pipe, whereby when said valve is rotated by the cam portion of said piston, said charge of gascan enter the hollow body of said valve, and said casing provided with a discharge opening. V

4. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination with-a casing, of a rotary piston positioned within said casing, -a pair of semi! cylindrical valvesjournaled upon said casing, said valves normally in engagement near one end with said piston, and thereby preventing back pressure of gases Within said casing, means carried by said piston and adaptedto move said valves upon said casing, means for normally supplying a charge of gas to one of said valves, and means adapted-to supply a charge of gas under pressure 'to the other valve,- means for igniting the compressed charge of said gas within said valve, and said casin'g provided with a dischargeopening- 5. In a rotary explosive engine, the com+ bination with a casing, of a rotary piston mounted within said casing, a pair of rotatable valves journaled upon said casing, said piston provided with means for rotating said valves, each valve provided with means for permitting, a charge of gas to pass therethrough, means for supplying a charge of gas "under pressure of one of said valves, a spark plug normally in communication at all times withone of said valves, whereby a charge of gas under pressure within said valve may be ignited, and said casing provided with a dis- I charge opening.

6. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination with a casing, of a piston mounted Within said casing, a hollow valve carried by.

said casing, means'carried by said piston for moving said valve, a spark plug mounted upon said casing and normally in communication with the interior of said valve, means for supplying ases under ressu're' to said valve, and sai casing provided with a discharge opening.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with' a casing, a piston mounted within said casing, of a hollow, rotatable valve mounted upon said casing, said valve rovided with a large opening or port and wit a small openmg or port, said valve provided with a stub 8.In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotary (piston, provided with a cam portion, mounte withinsaid oasing, a rotatable valve mounted within said casingand adapted to normally engage said piston, said va ve provided with a plurality of ports and with a hollow body, said casing provided with means for conducting compressed gases, from in front of the cam-porti'on to one-of the ports of said valves and permitting the gases to be' discharged into the body of said valve and, subsequently,-

behind the cam-portion of said piston, and said casing provided with means for ignitin the gases behind the cam-portion of sai 9. In a rotary engine the combination with a casing, a rotatable iston provided with a cam-portion, mounted in said casing, of a hollow valve rotatably mounted in said casing, said'valve provided with a plurality of openings or ports, said-casing provided with means forming a passage for permitting the passage of gases from the casing through one of the ports of the valve and allowing said gases to be discharged into the body of said valve, said cam-portion of the piston being adapted to move said valve upon said casing, and means for igniting the gases in said valve.

In testimony whereof we' hereunto afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

- ANDREW W. WELSH.

WALTER SHECK.

. Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. BARNES,-- HENRY J. KLoo. 

